SRINAGAR, Nov 8:
Chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today assured Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi the support of people, especially youth, provided he accepted the realities on Kashmir and worked towards resolution of the issue.
“We hope the new generation leadership of India will accept the reality and come forward for the better future of not only the people of Kashmir but the people of India as well …If they move forward with positive thinking and realistic approach, they will find the youth in Kashmir and their leadership with them,” the Mirwaiz told a Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid here.
Referring to the just concluded two-day visit of Rahul to Jammu and Kashmir, the Hurriyat chairman said he was disappointed that the Gandhi scion did not talk about the realities of Kashmir.
“He (Rahul) talked about many things like employment, women development, strengthening of democratic institutions and Panchayati Raj. But unfortunately, the new generation leadership of India, from whom the people of Kashmir expect that when they come here from Delhi they will point towards the reality, did not talk about the realities,” he said.
The Mirwaiz said the most important thing is that the political instability prevalent in the region has to be addressed and the Indian leadership has to change their thinking and approach towards Kashmir.
“India is saying that more than 50 per cent of its population is of youth and the country needs young leadership. We are happy if India gets a young leadership. It will be good for the peace and prosperity of the people of India,” he said.
“We want to tell Rahul that you have to play a long innings in Indian politics. Time has come that Indian leadership has to change and accept the realities and the biggest reality is that the State he (Rahul) visited has been practically changed into a police state,” the Hurriyat chairman said.
He said the Hurriyat expects from the new generation leadership that they would reject the traditional approach and adopt a new outlook based on justice.
The Mirwaiz said Panchayati Raj, elections and Municipal Councils flourish only at places where people are first given a right to live and where the rights of people are accepted.
The Hurriyat chairman called for involvement of all three parties – India, Pakistan and Kashmiris – in the resolution of the issue.
“India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir are the real stakeholders and they need to come forward to resolve this issue and only after that could there be any forward movement on other processes,” he said. (PTI)
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